The Best Medicine - Mack -

[Phoenix O. Night]

<sub>As soon as he had arrived in the boy's dorms, Phoenix had flung himself on Mack's bed and had lay there until his friend turned up. He hadn't kept track of time, it just slipped right through his fingers while he lay, in a daze, listening to Rayne's last words uttered to him replay themselves in his head. Over and over again. Like some sick record stuck on repeat.

When Mack had finally appeared, Phoenix just looked at him for a moment before telling him in gushes what had happened. Mack wasn't the best of friends to turn to when you needed consoling. And Phoenix, over the years, knew that. But he had to tell someone that he knew would listen. He just needed to get it out of his system before he bottled it away and it poisoned him.

They had agreed that the best antidote to Phoenix's damaged ticker would be ice cream.

Phoenix sat hunched over a tub, digging at it with his spoon and eating the vanilla goodness. He hadn't cried, which was good, but it was obvious that he wanted to. His eyes were slightly puffy but, if asked, it was because he had gotten something in them when he had saved Rayne.

"Its like... what girl rejects you when you freaking pull her out of the lake?" Phoenix whined, waving his spoon around. "She could've at least been nicer about it! Girls are.... too much trouble. How on earth do you manage?" He grumbled, disappearing back into his ice cream.</sub>

[Mackenzie Stone]

Mack honestly didn't know what to do when he found Phoenix laying on his bed, clearly hurting from something. He listened to what happened and then decided to suggest what he suggested every time his sister was upset about something. Ice Cream.

So that's how they ended up in the kitchens eating ice cream. Phoenix talking about his problems and Mack attempting to help as best as he could, which probably wasn't very much. "I don't know... I just... deal. I've learned there is always a reason behind everything they say. Other than what they really mean. They're like a puzzle."

[/b] Mack smirked at him before taking a bite of his ice cream. "Dria does it all the time..."[/b] Mack rolled his eyes, but smiled fondly.

He didn't know what to tell Phoenix. Did he tell him to move on and find a new girl? Did he tell him to chase this one if he really liked her? Yeah... that sounded good. "But if you really like her... don't give up, bro."[/b]
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[Phoenix O. Night]

<sub>So girls were puzzles. That was something Phoenix had already guessed from the many times he had gossiped about them with Mack. But, for his first stab at nabbing himself a girl, why did it have to be a puzzle? They'd joke that it was because they were Ravenclaws. They were good at puzzles, supposedly. Shame that Phoenix was turning out to be a complete fail boat with the fairer sex.

"I really do like her but..." Phoenix trailed off to shovel another spoonful into his mouth. "... it'd be nice if she had at least given me something to go on." He squinted as brain freeze took effect for a few, painful seconds. But that didn't deter him any and he swallowed down another lump of ice cream shortly after.

"Its like, sure... we kissed. But it wasn't like I gave her a chance." He was regretting lunging so quickly for the kiss. Maybe, at least, if he had allowed her time to pull back at least things would be clearer. Phoenix would act on the assumption that she didn't like him any more than a friend.

"She was a great girl... she really was." Phoenix sighed, trying to stir his ice cream and make it melt some. "I'm a fucking idiot when it comes to these things. I don't even know how to approach her to get us to at least be friends again. I feel like cursing myself. I'm a loser."</sub>

[Mackenzie Stone]

Mack took a deep breath, eating a spoonful before talking about. "Maybe she had a reason to just... leave. There's a reason for everything girls do and say."

[/b] And how true that really was.

"Did... did she pull away from the kiss right away? Or did she kind of stay there for a second before running away?"[/b] Mack asked him. Unsure if he had told him before or not. He didn't know if this thought was actually important but it was worth a shot.

Mack burrowed his eyebrows as he thought about what he was saying. "Was? Isn't she still?"[/b] Mack asked him, wondering what he meant by the past tense. I don't think you should try to go in the friendzone when you like her this much, Phee. I think you should keep trying. If you really like her, then don't give up. Fight for her like you've never fought before."[/b]
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[Phoenix O. Night]

<sub>There was a reason for everything girls say and do. That much was pretty obvious. But now even Rayne leaving might have a hidden meaning? Phoenix dug his elbow into his knee and rested his chin on his hand.

"I don't know, Mack." Phee sighed heavily, stabbing his ice cream with the spoon. "I kinda just pulled away... then she talked and I kinda just... just zoned out." Excuse Phoenix for not remembering every exact detail of a moment he greatly wanted to forget.

"Was... Is... I think my mind's resigned itself to accepting that we'll never be friends again. So 'was'." The teen supposed his best chance at talking to her would be in one of the two classes they had together. But then he didn't want to talk to her while there were a bunch of other students around. The thought of possibly seeing Rayne in class made him feel sick with nerves... maybe he'd give Herbology a pass on Monday unless he felt better.

"I just don't know Mack. I-I think I just want us to be friends... if we ever manage that again." Phoenix murmured into a spoon of partially melted ice cream. "Just... being close in some way would be nice."</sub>

[Mackenzie Stone]

Mack honestly didn't know what to say to Phoenix. He was trying to help him as best as he could, but he honestly didn't know what he did to get girls. He just... did something. They sort of came after him in a way. Mack wanted his friend to be happy. He wanted Phee to have a girl that he honestly liked a lot. And this Rayne person seemed like that was it. After the way Phee was gushing to him at lunch... and what he had told Mack about their detention and after their detention... it didn't add up.

Well... there went that idea. Mack thought maybe she had just gotten nervous or something and didn't know what else to do. But if he couldn't remember if she pulled away or looked at him for a bit, then he wouldn't be able to tell either.

"Don't give up, Phee! This girl doesn't seem like she's someone you should give up and go for just friends with. And you don't want to be stuck in the friend zone!"

[/b] Mack said, hoping he would listen to him. "I didn't give up on Dria... she's a Malfoy... I'm a muggleborn. And we're together. Because I didn't give up!"[/b] Mack had finished his ice cream, and had denied the house elves the opportunity to get him more. He didn't want to eat a lot of it.
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[Phoenix O. Night]

<sub>Phoenix didn't know what to do. He didn't want to completely give up on Rayne but then he didn't want to emotionally stress himself by fawning over some girl that wouldn't feel the same way. It would be a waste of time and he'd only end up hurting himself more.

"But Mack... she's one of those girls that you wouldn't mind being friendzoned for." Phoenix sighed, polishing off his ice cream and turning down the offer of more. "You'd have to meet her to understand... she's not like the other girls. She's different in her own way."

The teen glanced over at the fireplace. He remembered how he and Rayne had shared dinner there after their detention together. Love wasn't fair. He couldn't help but partly wish that he hadn't fallen for her like he had. At least then they'd definitely be friends still.</sub>

[Chase McKinney-Jackson]

Chase was debating going to Brent and telling him about his chest. How he had been stupid and was attacked by a thestral because Alex scared it and Chase turned away from it. He decided that maybe he would go to the kitchen and get something to eat considering Chase had missed dinner because he was avoiding Brent.

In other words, Chase was in a foil mood. He had never before avoided Brent. He knew it wouldn't last. Maybe he'd go after he got something to eat... he'd have to tell him sometime what happened. Why not sooner than later.

After he tickled the pair, Chase walked into the kitchen to find two Ravenclaw boys eating ice cream. Why did he have to find them tonight. The one night there was no way they would be getting out of detention. "Detention. Both of you. Now go back to your common room before I make it two."

[Mackenzie Stone]

Mack was just about to answer Phoenix when he heard a voice come from by the door. It was Professor Jackson. Just their luck. He couldn't believe they had gotten caught just for getting ice cream when Phoenix was down on himself. Mack probably would have probably fought it if it weren't for the fact he was dead tired. He just kind of wanted to sleep, and he was sure Phoenix did too. He probably wanted to forget about what happened today, so Mack didn't bother. Which was uncharacteristic of him.

"Okay, professor. We'll go back. Let us know when those detentions are."

[/b]Mack said before getting up from the table and giving Phoenix a look that just to just accept it. It wasn't a big deal or anything. Even though detentions sucked, Mack didn't get many of them. He normally got out of them. He could deal with one or two. Like right now.
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[Phoenix O. Night]

<sub>Phoenix groaned inwardly when professor Jackson randomly appeared and gave them detentions. That was just what Phoenix needed right now. A freaking detention. He wasn't going to argue though. And just nodded at Mack when his friend shot him a "just leave it" look.

"Yeah... okay." Phoenix sighed, getting up off his chair to join Mack. This was the icing on the cake. Detention. At least it would serve to distract himself from his thoughts about Rayne for a few hours.

"G'night, sir." The teen mumbled, walking to the portrait hole with a notable shuffle in his walk, avoiding looking up at Chase. The day couldn't get any better. Seriously. But at least he had eaten ice cream.</sub>